Does sugammadex decrease the severity of agitation and complications in pediatric patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy?

To evaluate the effectiveness of sugammadex in reducing or eliminating postoperative agitation levels, early respiratory complications and nausea/vomiting in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy. A total of 70 patients (age range: 5-13 years) who underwent an adenotonsillectomy in the Otolaryngology Clinic, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey between May 2015 and September 2017 were included in the study. The patients were randomized into a sugammadex group (Group S) and a neostigmine + atropine (Group N); each group contained 35 patients. Time to extubation, postoperative agitation levels, and early postoperative complications were evaluated and recorded. Data from both groups were statistically evaluated and compared. The time to extubation was significantly shorter in Group S than Group N (p less than 0.05). Agitation scores during recovery were significantly lower in Group S than Group N (p less than 0.05). More complications were observed in Group N than in Group S; the number of patients seen coughing and experiencing nausea/vomiting in Group S was statistically significantly lower (p less than 0.05). This study demonstrated that the use of sugammadex results in less time to recovery and less agitation in comparison to conventional administration of neostigmine + atropine in the reversal of neuromuscular blocking after adenotonsillectomy.